By Krisvimar Nogra, BA COMM 4, Centralian Link Intern

“Matinong Boto, Tamang Gobyerno” organizers and attendees (Photo credits: Angelo Robles)

In today’s world, knowledge is key, and the power it holds drives us forward, most especially in choosing leaders to serve. Aiming to equip their fellow youth with the proper information and wise ways to elect leaders, the third year Bachelor of Science in Social Work students of Central Philippine University held one of their seminar series on April 8, 2026 at the CPU Educational Media Center Hall entitled “Matalinong Boto, Tamang Gobyerno: What Responsible Voters Should Look For.”

In compliance with their Seminar on Current Trends course, the BS SocWork students spearheaded the event and invited prolific guest speakers in Iloilo City to convene about voter education and conscious and accountable voting, perfect for the upcoming Presidential Election rearing its head in two years.

The event started with the preliminaries, Opening Prayer, led by Ms. Kathleen F. Gumapal, Singing of the National Anthem, and the CPU Hymn. To formally welcome the guests and commence the event, opening remarks were delivered by the Assistant Event Lead, Ms. Ellysha Nichole Querubin.

The first guest speaker, University of the Philippines Visayas Most Outstanding Graduate of 2025 and Top Outstanding Students of Iloilo 2025 Top Circle Awardee, Ms. Phoebe Mae Magabilin led the initial session centered on the building blocks of leadership. In her topic, Ms. Magabilin tackled the ethics, values, and characteristics of a leader, and highlighted the necessity to elect leaders for the vote of an individual does not only concern them, but also those who are underserved: the farmers, fisherfolk, scholars, and all the struggling sectors in the country.

Hon. Nathalie Ann Debuque delivering her talk “Accountability in Leadership” (Photo credits: Prof. Jett Louis Dumlao)

After a short intermission number, Hon. Jo Jan Paul Peñol, Centralian graduate and incumbent President of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) – Western Visayas, took on the mic to deliver an inspirational talk. Lingering on the question “Why does our vote matter?,” he emphasized the crucial role of the youth in nation building. Event Lead Mr. Angelo Robles, shared in accordance with his takeaways from the talk that “it is not just about casting a vote, but about making a decision that can affect the kind of leadership and future we will have.”

The last session of the event had Iloilo Province Vice Governor, Hon. Nathalie Ann Debuque to speak on the consequences of lawbreaking and the power of the vote. In her talk focusing on accountability in leadership, Hon. Debuque shared her advocacy of listening to the youth in order to develop programs that benefit and serve them. In her appearance, Hon. Debuque tells everyone, “May ara kamo right to demand and magreklamo sa leader nga gin-vote niyo if they did not fulfill their promises. (You all have the right to demand and to call out the leaders you voted if they did not fulfill their promises.)”

Brent Rodrigo, an attendee, shared that “this seminar was beyond politics, but also an eye-opener for us, students to learn and be educated.”

After the Giving of Certificates and a photo opportunity, the event was closed by the Event Lead, Mr. Angelo Robles, and was closed by fellow BS SocWork student, Ms. Chesca Almirante. As the group leader and event lead, Mr. Angelo Robles shared that he sees the chance to lead as a privilege, seeing that the resource speakers left enlightening messages that the youth can carry when they walk into the voting booths. “Their shared experiences and messages not only enriched our understanding but also inspired us to become more responsible, informed, and active members of society,” says Mr. Robles.

“Matalinong Boto, Tamang Gobyerno” was the fourth undertaking in the seminar series of BS Social Work students that requires the student to organize gatherings that educate and benefit the masses, as part of their journey of becoming agents of change.